Quick-demountable block-tire.



P. B. BOSWORTH. QUICK DEMOUNTABLB BLOCK TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1911.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' P. B. BOSWORTH.

QUICK DBMOUNTABLE BLOCK TIRE.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 6, 1911.

Patented Nov. 5

2 SHEETS-SHE l UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

PERCY B. BOSWORTH, 0F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE FIRESTONETIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE BLOCK-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

vthe felly rim ofthe wheel.

In automobile trucks and other vehicles `of heavy construction it has become customa to use tires which arein the form of a plurality of blocks, these blocks often being placed 1n twoor more rows on the vehicle wheel. l

l It is one of 'the objects lof my invention to provide means by which these blocks may be securely held in position and by which, if it is desired lto remove one or more of the blocks, the same may be accomplished without disturbing all of the blocks which are held on the felly rim.

The blocks which I use in my improved construction are made p with projecting flanges located on the portions of the blocks lying next to the felly rim. The surfaces of these flanges, which are most distant from the center of the wheel, are preferably bevp eled The felly rim ispreferably constructed with outwardly extending flanges having beveled surfaces which engage the corresponding beveled surfaces on the flanges of the tire blocks. These blocks are ordinarily placed in two parallel rows on the felly rim. Between the tworows of blocks are placed a plurality of retaining members which have beveled surfaces engaging the beveled surfaces of the tire blocks, thereby forcing the blocks laterally against/the rim flanges and holding them securely in position. Each of the retaining members engages only a small number (preferably two or three) of the` tireblocks, so that if .it is desired to replace any given block this result may be easily and quickly accomplished by first removing the bolts which hold the corresponding retaining member in position, then removing the retaining member itself, and finally removing the block which is tobe replaced. These and 'other advantages of my invention will be more-readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which Aouter en represent a preferred embodiment of my. invention, and n whichi Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion-of the periphery of a vehicle wheel, showing the tire blocks, the flanges of the felly rim and the retaining means in position; Fig. z

is a perspective of one of the tire blocks; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 4 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 3 but taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and showing the method of removing one of the tire blocks.

The felly 10 is provided with a. felly rim 11 having the flanges l2, 12, which on their s are bent inwardly forming the beveled surfaces 13, 13. The tirebloeks 14 have the flanges 1.55, with the beveled surfacesl, and are also provided with grooves 17 on the corners where the flanges 15 meet. One of the flanges 15 is also provided with a groove 18, the object of which will be explained hereafter.

As clearly indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the tire blocks 14 are placed on the felly rim 11 preferably4 in two parallel rows, the bevel'ed surfaces 1 6 of the flanges 15 engaging the beveled surfaces 13 of the flanges 12 of' the felly rim 11.' When the tire blocks 14 are placed in position they are preferably staggered, as shown in Fig. 1. y

A pluralityv of retaining members 19, each of which has two beveled surfaces 20 and a wedge-shaped extension 21, are placed between the adjacent flanges 15 of the two rows of tireblocks, the beveled surfaces 20 of the retaining members 19 engaging the beveled surfaces 16 of the tire blocks 14. Each of the retaining members 19 is provided with a suitable aperture near its center and also with apertures at its ends. Through these apertures are passed the bolts 22, provided with nuts 23, thus securelyholding the retaining members in position. These bolts also serve to securely hold the rim 11 on the felly 10. The apertures 17, 18, in the shouldered base portions accommodate the fastening bolts and permit the adj acent faces of the shouldersof the bases to be placed closely together, allowing only space for the vertical depending rib if used and they furthermore effect an intimate interlocking engagement of the fastening bolts,`ri1n land blocks, thus tending to resist shocks and strains which might cause the blocks to shift in their positions, either turnlaterally into contact with ing around their axes, moving laterally or creeping around the wheel. When the nuts 23 are tightened, the retaining members 19 are drawn inwar'diytoward the center of the wheel, thereby securely `holding the tire blocks 14 in position, and, by reason of the Contact of the beveledsurfaces 20 with the beveled surfaces 16, forcing the tire blocks the flanges 12, 12 of the felly rim 11. The wedge-shaped eX- tensions 21 of the retaining members 19 fa` cilitate the placing of these retaining members in position and eral movement of the tire blocks 14, In order to causea more secure retention of the tire blocks in position, I preferably employ cross rods 24, extending laterally through the tire blocks and into the flanges 15. When it is desired to replace one of the said tire blocks, the bolts 22, which hold the 'retaining member 19, engaging said block, are first removed by previous removal o f their nuts 23. The retaining member 19 is then withdrawn, and the block may be removed by swinging it outwardly into the position indicated by dotted lines in F ig.- 1. A new tire block may then be placed in position and the various parts fastened together, as previously explained.

It will be apparent to'those skilled inthe art that many changes `could be made in the detailed construction of the parts which I have described without departing from either the spirit or scope of my invention.

p What I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle wheel, a rim mounted thereon having marginal instart the outward latturned flanges, a pair ofrows of resilient tire blocks mounted on said run, each of the blocks having shouldered base portions, the

outer shoulders being adapted to engage beneath the inwardly turned rim flanges and the inner shoulders being provided with ver tical marginal apertures,vsectional retaining members disposed between the rows of blocks circumferentially of the wheel, and fastening bolts for the retaining members passing through the apertures and felly, whereby to interlock the blocks, rim and fell 2.yIn the combination with a vehicle wheel, a rim mounted thereon having marginal inturned flanges, a pair of rows of resilient tire blocks mounted on said rim, each of the blocks having shouldered base portions,4the outer shoulders being adapted to engage beneath the inwardly turned rim flanges and the inner shoulders being pro- Avided with recessed portions, and securing means for the blocks v comprising sectional members disposed between the rows of blocks circumferentially of the wheel and fastening devices for securing the sectional members against movement circumferentially of the felly, portions of the securing means interlocking'with the recessed portions of the inner shoulders to lock the blocks against turning or creeping relative to the rim.

PERCY B. BOSVORTH. 

